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Searching... R.H. Stafford Library (Woodbury) | J 921 KENNEDY | Searching... Unknown |
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Summary
Summary
Before his short life was ended by assassination, Robert Kennedy was Attorney General of the United States, Senator from New York, and a charismatic Presidential candidate. But even more astonishing was Kennedy's personal odyssey. Born into immense wealth and privilege, Kennedy came to embrace the cause of the poor and the disenfranchised, and to be seen by them as their champion.
Author Notes
Marc Aronson is the author of a wide variety of non- fiction titles. He is the recipient of the LMP Award for editing, as well as the 2006 ALAN Award for outstanding contributions to the field of adolescent literature.
Reviews (5)
Publisher's Weekly Review
Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated on June 4, 1968, just after winning the California Democratic primary. Many Americans remember him as a passionate, hardworking man who fought for fairer working conditions, civil rights, health care and education for the nation's poor, and an end to the Vietnam war. But in this biography, one of four launch titles in the Up Close series of 20th-century figures, Aronson portrays another, more complicated side to Bobby Kennedy. During his years working with Senator Joe McCarthy on his anti-Communist crusade, working to eradicate organized crime, and in 1959 while running brother John F. Kennedy's presidential campaign, Bobby comes across as ruthless. He was also single-minded ("Everything he did from the day he was born to the day he died would be with the family, and for the family," Aronson writes). The author nicely sets the stage for this family bond with tales from Bobby's childhood; as a boy, Bobby was considered the "runt" of his family, which only motivated him to work harder to be seen as a man. And after John's death in 1963, Bobby was forced to make a choice: to back Lyndon Johnson or set his own course (and Aronson's picture of their behind-the-scenes tug-of-war will likely fascinate budding history and political buffs). This biography sometimes feels pulled off center by its focus on John rather than Bobby Kennedy, but perhaps that's inevitable, given how deeply intertwined the brothers' lives were. Aronson smoothly weaves in the influential personalities of the era, such as J. Edgar Hoover and Jimmy Hoffa, and will surely ignite in young people an interest in this pivotal era. Ages 11-up. (Apr.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Horn Book Review
(Middle School) Not your average biographies, these first four entries in the Up Close series are meaty fare, sure to satisfy middle-school readers (even reluctant ones) looking for something more than a hero portrait. Most riveting is the Cash volume. Following along with Neimark's account is a lot like rubbernecking: readers witness ""the quintessential outsider with the staggering voice, the occasional chip on his shoulder, and enough songs to wear out a guitar"" skidding out of control into drug addiction. Cooper recounts Winfrey's meteoric rise from hard-knock childhood (sexual abuse, teen pregnancy, absent mother) to TV stardom, while still making room for critics' comments on her ""bottomless ego"" and ""conspicuous display of wealth."" Aronson ably spells out the social and political conflicts of America in the 1950s and 1960s before asking, ""Was Kennedy a priest in politician's clothing?"" Or vice versa? The least accessible of the bunch is Levine's Rachel Carson. Carson's not a marquee name, and the book's early chapters get bogged down with details on her college years, but the excerpts from the environmentalist's lyrical writings are a sheer pleasure to read. Honest and engaging, all four volumes include forewords explaining what drew each author to the subject, as well as indexes, source notes, bibliographies, and black-and-white photographs. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
Booklist Review
Robert Kennedy is one of the most enigmatic figures of twentieth-century American politics, with a personality that blended ruthlessness and compassion. In this short biography, Aronson doesn't shy away from theorizing about the psychological roots of Kennedy's contradictory nature. He also exhaustively reports rumors of the era, from Joseph Kennedy's alleged Mafia connections to J. Edgar Hoover's sexual preferences (it is likely that he was attracted to men ). The narrative tends to jump around quite a bit, offering information in the course of thematic arguments rather than chronologically, and the facts sometimes seem to get lost amid rumors and speculations. In particular, Kennedy's time as attorney general, senator, and presidential candidate receive less emphasis than one would expect. This entry in the Up Close series proves more effective as a character study than as an introduction to its subject's life and times and will be of most use to readers with some prior knowledge of the Kennedy dynasty. Sources for quotations are provided; a bibliography, consisting mostly of works for adults, will help lead curious readers to find out even more. --Todd Morning Copyright 2007 Booklist
School Library Journal Review
Gr 8 Up-The life and complicated times of Robert F. Kennedy are explored in this well-documented biography. Bobby was the third son in a large family and was often overlooked by his powerful father in favor of his brothers, Joe and Jack. He was also in the background in his professional life, helping out with Jack's campaigns and struggling to find his own path. Bobby worked on Senate committees investigating corruption and organized crime, served as attorney general during JFK's presidency, and was later elected as senator. He was assassinated in 1968 as he was campaigning for president. Aronson draws on a wide variety of sources and is very honest in examining his subject as a complete human being, warts and all. For example, Kennedy's empathy for outsiders and the oppressed is highlighted, as are incidents of lying, cover-ups, and behind-the-scenes manipulations. Small, but well-reproduced archival photos appear throughout, highlighting many of the individuals and events mentioned in the text. Some of the central themes, such as Bobby being virtually ignored by his father and constantly trying to prove himself, are dwelled on for a little too long. However, this text stands as an unbiased and illuminating resource.-Kristen Oravec, Cuyahoga County Public Library, Strongsville, OH (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
Bobby Kennedy was the "relentless, reckless third son of a clan determined to change history," and the story of this clan ranges from the Irish potato famine to the Cuban missile crisis and beyond, a complicated tale of family, fame and fortune. The Mafia, the Civil Rights Movement, the Vietnam War and the coming digital age all figure in this fascinating portrait of a man and his times. Lively writing, a wealth of historical detail and wide-ranging references from Aeschylus to Philip Pullman contribute to a work that successfully portrays its subject not as a hero, but as a complex, flawed human being. Aronson points out where the historical record is incomplete or murky and lets readers in on how historians think. The bibliography and source notes are thorough and include a superb list of websites for listening to important political speeches. Exemplary history writing. (Nonfiction. 11+) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
